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Institute for Water, Environment and Health
(UNU-INWEH)
175 Longwood Road South, Suite 204, Hamilton Ontario L8P 0A1 CANADA
Phone: 1-905-667-5511
Fax: 1-905-667-5510
Email: contact.inweh@unu.edu
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Freshwater Ecosystems at a Glance
A major factor contributing to the global water crisis is the widespread failure to implement integrated river basin management. In most cases, conflicts in water usage are not resolved effectively and sustainably. As a result, the continued neglect of water quantity and quality requirements for ecosystems has often led to devastating consequences for human health, natural capital, and aquatic biodiversity.
To better manage the river basins and to protect the ecosystems dependent on them, two core challenges must be overcome in many developing countries. The first is limited or absent scientific knowledge on water quality, quantity, ecology and ecosystem services. The second is the failure at the policy level to manage river basins in an integrated and holistic fashion. This is, in part, because knowledge at the leadership level of IWRM principles and practices is inadequate.
UNU-INWEH’s programme of work in this thematic area directly addresses these two challenges. The first challenge is addressed through targeted capacity-building efforts. The second is addressed by providing policy and management support based on the existing body of knowledge and information.
News & Events
Transboundary Waters Science and Management; 20 Years of GEF intervention in International Waters around the globe
GEF is the world’s largest investor in multi-country collaborations on shared water systems. The GEF International Waters (IW) portfolio encompasses River Basins, Lakes, Groundwater Resources, the Coastal Environment, Large Marine Ecosystems and the Open Ocean, which are shared by multiple countries. With more than US$ 1.2 billion of GEF funds leveraging over US 6.4 billion in cofinancing the GEF International Waters portfolio has seen water, environment and human security projects in across more than 170 countries. The IW:Science Working Groups have completed the IW:Science Synopsis and Analysis process of science and lessons within the IW portfolio and reported on their findings. The final stage of the IW:Science process is then the preparation of the GEF IW:Science Synthesis Report, serving to provide a global perspective on the state of challenges and pressures facing transboundary water systems, both freshwater and marine. Read more …
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Advisory document on Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in Coastal Zones
As part of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) (administered by UNEP and advising the Global Environment Facility), UNU-INWEH has contributed to a STAP advisory document entitled “Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in the Coastal Zone – Advice for Prevention, Remediation and Research). Read more… |
Report on the language of water in UN Declarations released
As part of a collaborative effort between UNU-INWEH and McMaster University,the Institute has completed a report, along with a Summary for Decision Makers, on the evolution of the language of water and other related issues (poverty, gender, climate change, etc) from eleven UN water and environment-related conferences over the course of forty years. Read more...
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Report and Policy Brief on Transboundary Lake Basin Management: Laurentian and African Great Lakes finalized and available
UNU-INWEH has finalized a report based on discussions at two workshops on Transboundary Lake Basin Management and Twinning. A four page policy brief extracted from the full report outlining lessons learned during the exercise is also available. Read more...
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